Renault Duster comeback in India confirmed

Its not an official confirmation yet, but we now do know that the Duster would make a comeback in India. According to Autocar India, “the company although has not specifically stated about the Duster but has announced their future product plan for India.” And a Duster – or a Duster replacement – is definitely there.

Earlier in November of this year, it was hinted that the French multinational automaker which currently operates an alliance with the Japanese carmaker Nissan could bring back the iconic Duster moniker to India. Previously it was reported that Renault is planning to bring the Duster back to life in India but now it has been confirmed that the company is indeed working on a new SUV which will be based on Renault-Nissan’s new CMF-B platform. Whether they would continue to call it the Duster, or whether it would get an all-new name is yet to be known.

It was also claimed that Renault is preparing to invest more than Rs 4,000 crore in India to launch the new CMF-B platform, which would pave the way for the arrival of other new cars, including the next Duster generation. Now the reports have suggested that the long-discussed midsize SUV will hit the market between 2024 and 2025.

This modern platform will enable Renault to provide more cutting-edge components and features to the new SUV and others based on this platform. It will be able to handle a variety of body styles and engine configurations, including hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and petrol engines.

The prior reported also mentioned that the CMF-B platform will be extensively localized to better suit the needs of the Indian automotive market. It has also been suggested that the Bigster concept could be used to develop the next-generation Duster SUV. Meanwhile, the CMF-B EV, the platform’s electric derivation, will be used to make the Duster’s electric counterpart.

For those unaware, back in 2021, the Bigster 3-row SUV’s first concept was unveiled to the public by Renault’s sub brand Dacia. The concept car’s front fascia was aggressively styled, with a full-width grille taking centre stage. Dacia’s signature Y-shaped headlight was merged with the front grille in its most current design.

The front bumper was squared off and featured a large center grille with two vertical air intakes. It included LED lights that looked to be incorporated into the grille. The vehicle’s side profile created the impression that it was a bigger Duster SUV due to the flared wheel arches and enormous 5-spoke alloy wheels. The Bigster concept also included two Y-shaped taillights and a streamlined tailgate with a large Dacia emblem.

If the Renault Duster does make a comeback in India it could help the French automaker a lot as the launch of the first generation Duster in India back in 2012 marked a huge turning point for the brand. The Duster was the company’s first-ever mass-market product in India as Renault’s prior offerings the Koleos SUV and Fluence sedan, were more premium vehicles that were offered in India in a limited quantity via the CKD method. The Duster was the first to introduce the monocoque midsize SUV design which led to the creation of a brand-new market sector that was eventually joined and dominated by SUVs like the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos.

The Duster also marked the introduction of Renault’s B0 platform, which underpinned a number of cars including the Lodgy, Captur, and Duster from Renault as well as the Terrano and Kicks from Nissan. The forthcoming CMF-B platform will be the successor to this popular platform.